A series of studies were conducted to further develop the Patient Request Form, a test measuring requests in a psychiatric clinic. In a cross-validation study of requests in a college mental health service, we found substantial support for 12 of the 14 request factors found in the original study at the walk-in clinic. In construct validation studies, we found that all but two of the request categories correlated significantly with an external locus of control. Cognitive requests tended to be less highly correlated with an external locus than the more affective-dependent type of requests. The conceptually close but distinct relationship between patient expectations and patient requests were explored in a correlational study of the Patient Request Form and Williams' revision of the Overall-Aronson Patient Expectation Questionnaire. As predicted the correlations were consistent with content and were low to moderate in magnitude. In an application of the PRF to a special clinical problem, suicidal behavior, we found that requests for control, succorance, and insight were particularly correlated with a measure of suicidal thoughts taken from the Hopkins Symptom Checklist. A process study of the treatment disposition phase of the initial interview in the walk-in clinic was conducted using 50 tape transcripts. We found that the disposition phase, which occurs usually in the 40th minute of a typically 50 minute interview, takes about 5 minutes. Transcript ratings indicated that clinicians tend to neglect the sharing of information in this disposition phase. The nature and the rationale for treatment tended to be neglected or not clearly presented in more than one third of the cases. Post-Interview Questionnaire measures of patient and clinician satisfaction correlated with the process measures of minimal patient input during the treatment disposition phase, which raises questions regarding the existence of an atmosphere conducive to negotiation. The data suggests that both patient and clinician strive to avoid conflict and that an atmosphere for negotiation requires careful cultivation.